29 h. ago Toronto neighbourhood brewery issues candid note as it closes permanently

A Toronto brewery that's been a summertime staple in its neighbourhood for years has closed permanently.As someone who spent the first quarter-century of my life living in The Beach(es), I've seen firsthand just how hard it can be for restaurants to stay alive along the Queen East strip.Yes, members of the neighbourhood ride hard for their local businesses, and a handful have managed to stand the test of time, but when a small window of summertime business accounts for a large majority of the area's foot traffic, it's difficult to make it work.The latest neighbourhood casualty was something of a local success story, having been in business for the past six years, but hey, all good things must come to an end, right?As of Wednesday, Dec. 3, Beaches Brewing Co. has closed permanently.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by Beaches Brewing Company ™ (@beachesbrewco)In the ...

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42 h. ago Toronto neighbourhood frustrated as local library set to move nearly 1 km away

A long-awaited relocation of a library in Toronto's St Lawrence neighbourhood is sparking frustration among some local residents who say the area is losing its local branch to another community.Toronto Public Library (TPL) formally announced on Tuesday that it had purchased a heritage building at 339 Queen St. E. to house a new branch, which is anticipated to open in 2028. The move will replace the existing TPL St. Lawrence branch at 171 Front St. E., which is set to remain open throughout construction.In a new release, TPL says the relocation responds to "rapid population growth and increased demand for library services in this part of the city," with the new branch set to serve the neighbourhoods of St. Lawrence, Moss Park, and Corktown.Located roughly 950 metres from its current site (or about a 14-minute walk), the new location sits at the northeastern edge of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, in a part of the city many actually consider to be Moss Park.The...

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66 h. ago This new Toronto sandwich shop is hidden inside a convenience store

Toronto's newest banh-mi restaurant is the definition of a hidden gem: it's literally tucked inside a neighbourhood convenience store.Sandwich shops in Toronto are a dime a dozen, and that number only seems to grow by the day. Now, don't get me wrong: I am a sandwich fanatic. If it can be placed between two pieces of bread, odds are, I'm opting for that.So, when I say that sandwich shops in Toronto are a dime a dozen, I don't mean to suggest it's a bad thing, only that newcomers greatly benefit from some element of novelty to rise above the noise, like how Slammie Sammies is attached to a carwash, or one member of Tutto Panino's founder team happens to be Charlotte Day Wilson.They're not gimmicks, per se, and the sandwiches these spots serve are certainly strong enough to stand on their own, but sometimes it just helps when you've got an intriguing edge to stand out.In the case of Leslieville's so-new-it's-only-soft-opened Oi Banh Mi,...

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6 d. ago Toronto neighbourhood fighting to stop demolition of strip mall

Hundreds of residents in Etobicoke are raising concerns over a redevelopment project that they say could threaten a key neighbourhood plaza. Richview Plaza, a walkable retail centre located just off Eglinton Avenue West and Wincott Drive in Etobicoke, is at the heart of the dispute between developers and the community, who argue that the plaza is much more than a strip of stores. The strip mall is currently home to a Pet Valu, M&M Food Market, Rexall Pharma Plus, and a TD Bank branch. "Richview Plaza is the only walkable retail in our neighbourhood and it's a vital retail destination for thousands more Etobicoke residents who rely on the plaza for services, amenities and the essentials of daily living," a petition launched by locals reads. The campaign, signed by residents of Ward 2 and surrounding areas, expresses support for the 2021 City-approved redevelopment plan while highlighting concerns over the developer's "subs...

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1 week ago Toronto cafe and bar shares vulnerable post about its fight to stay open

The future of a Toronto neighbourhood café and bar hangs in the balance, as months of low foot traffic and high rent prices have made its survival past 2026 an uncertainty. Buvette Pacey, located near Queen Street East and Parliament Street, is a cozy, Queer-owned coffee-to-cocktails shop known for its seasonal drinks and community events, like sapphic wine nights and Wednesday chess club. Until 6 p.m., the hybrid café-bar (and might we add, a quintessential gathering space for the neighbourhood's four-legged friends) serves up coffee shop staples like espresso, tea lattes, and special seasonal drinks, from Mexican hot chocolate to miso-caramel apple cider and banana cardamom lattes."It's 5 o'clock somewhere" is most definitely the motto here, as beer and wines that lean heavily toward the low-intervention side are served all day. Despite all its offerings, the shop's owner-operator, Shabri Kapoor, ...

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1 week ago Chris Selley: Toronto’s nightmare is apparently neighbourhood shops and cafés

Nearly everyone in this city says they like the idea of small neighbourhood retail. Many are lying

Economics

2 w. ago Massive block party to take over one of world's coolest neighbourhoods in Toronto

The Geary Block Party is teaming up with the folks at DIVISION 88, a music and event space, to bring an all-day celebration to a Toronto neighbourhood considered one of the coolest in the world.Fresh off the success of its end-of-summer event, the Geary Block Party on Sept. 20, the Geary Winter Block Party will transform its namesake street into an outdoor venue offering dance, music, delicious food, and art.The 1.2-kilometre strip is expected to welcome hundreds of people coming out to support the local arts community.By day, the Geary Winter Block Party will feature art installations for visitors to explore, providing an opportunity to connect with the city's maker community. By night, the event will come alive with activations and DJ performances.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by DIVISION 88 (@division.88)If the summer event is anything t...

Culture

2 w. ago Massive block party to take over Toronto street renowned for coolness

The Geary Block Party is teaming up with the folks at DIVISION 88, a music and event space, to bring an all-day celebration to a Toronto neighbourhood considered one of the coolest in the world.Fresh off the success of its end-of-summer event, the Geary Block Party on Sept. 20, the Geary Winter Block Party will transform its namesake street into an outdoor venue offering dance, music, delicious food, and art.The 1.2-kilometre strip is expected to welcome hundreds of people coming out to support the local arts community.By day, the Geary Winter Block Party will feature art installations for visitors to explore, providing an opportunity to connect with the city's maker community. By night, the event will come alive with activations and DJ performances.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by DIVISION 88 (@division.88)If the summer event is anything t...

Culture

2 w. ago Smarter Trading Starts Here: Moomoo Steps Out of the App Store and into Toronto’s Premiere Yorkville Neighbourhood with its First Canadian Moomoo Store

The ultimate hub for active Canadian traders arrives — inviting everyone to step in and make “mooves” with live demos, exclusive rewards, and a front-row view of the future of investing TORONTO, Nov. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Moomoo Financial Canada Inc., the #1 U.S. stock trading platform for Canadians, today announced the grand opening […]

Culture

2 w. ago Toronto neighbourhood rallying to save aging shopping plaza from demolition

A proposed multi-tower redevelopment of Toronto's first suburban shopping plaza has riled up a local councillor, who has embarked on a campaign to send developers back to the drawing board.A proposed redevelopment of Lawrence Plaza at Bathurst and Lawrence would involve the demolition of the 72-year-old shopping centre and construction of as many as eight residential buildings.Conceptual plans to redevelop the Lawrence Plaza property at 534 Lawrence Ave W. first emerged in early 2025 and were followed in June by a more fleshed-out concept from developer RioCan, in a joint venture with property owner the Milestone Group.However, the project has not been met with the warmest reception by a long-serving local politician.Local city councillor Mike Colle has taken a stand against the development, rallying neighbourhood support to stop the redevelopment of the plaza."This is our Town Centre and Much More than a Plaza," wrote Colle, clarifying that "C...

Other

2 w. ago Toronto's iconic dog fountain is getting a massive refresh this winter

Toronto's iconic dog fountain is getting a major refresh this winter, as the City prepares to hire a vendor that will repair and repaint the 27 dog sculptures (and the often overlooked but never forgotten, lone cat) that make up the centrepiece of Old Town's Berczy Park.Legendary Canadian landscape architect Claude Cormier (1960-2023) was the mastermind behind the fountain and led the renowned design firm, Claude Cormier + Associés, now known as CCxA, during the overhaul of Berczy Park. The studio is responsible for several major public spaces across Toronto and Montreal, including Sugar Beach and Love Park.Berczy Park's redesign was officially unveiled in June 2017 after extensive consultation with the Old Town Toronto neighbourhood, and quickly became one of Cormier's most recognizable works throughout his illustrious career.However, over time, the sculptures in the park have aged, and the once-vivid four-legged friends that surround the two-t...

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3 w. ago Staple Toronto restaurant closes permanently after over 25 years

A Toronto restaurant that has been a neighbourhood staple for the past 25 years has officially closed for good.There was a time when Little Portugal, the strips of Dundas West and College between Dovercourt and Lansdowne, was, more or less, the only place in the city where you could find great Portuguese food.That was decades ago, mind you, and, in the years since, Portuguese cuisine, much like every other global influence in the city, has outgrown the bounds of its historic enclave and planted roots in nearly every neighbourhood. Now, you don't have to look farther than a few blocks in any given corner of the city to sink your teeth into simmering fish stews or salty sardines; the city is rife with stalwart institutions that do Portuguese cuisine proud.In the case of the Junction Triangle, one such staple, since 1998 anyway, has been Piri Piri Grill.Fittingly named for Portugal's most ubiquitous culinary export, piri piri chicken, the restaurant has been a le...

Other

3 w. ago Local group using AI slop in bid to get Toronto scared about convenience stores

Neighbourhood retail on Toronto side streets has emerged as a hot-button issue putting locals at odds, and controversy surrounding one community organization's AI-generated fear campaign is just the latest flare-up in this heated debate.Controversy swirled in 2024 around a local grocery store that had faced licensing issues, triggering widespread discussion on rules surrounding retail in established residential areas.City Council's November vote on a proposed Neighbourhood Retail plan has been welcomed by many in the city, but one local community group has stood out in vocal opposition to changes that would increase options for businesses like convenience stores to operate on side streets.However, the group's methods have landed them in the crosshairs of online commenters, and the backlash was swift and immediate.The community group known as IntegrityTO — which has previously lobbied campaigns against renaming locations after controversial historical figures and ca...

Transport

3 w. ago A Toronto neighbourhood's most iconic restaurant may be gone for good

A Toronto restaurant that defined its neighbourhood may have closed its doors permanently after being kicked out by its landlord.Kensington Market is known for a lot of things: thrifting, colourful community atmosphere, tacos, to name only a few. But, for me and plenty of others, at least, it's always been the scent of jerk chicken getting charred on an outdoor grill drifting up and down Kensington Avenue, embedding itself into my hair and clothes on sticky summer days.The source of the aroma? None other than Rasta Pasta, a stalwart on the strip for over a decade, beloved for its dual concept serving an affordable menu of Caribbean classics, traditional Italian pastas and, best of all, fusion dishes that blend the two.There's nary a soul that has visited Kensington Market and hasn't eaten at Rasta Pasta or, at the very least, been intrigued by its name and enticed by the fragrant air it emits.That's what makes it particularly heartbreaking to deliver t...

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3 w. ago Famous Filipino cafe is coming to Toronto this week with the help of a local restaurant

An ultra-popular cafe based in the Philippines is soon setting up shop in Toronto for a limited time with the help of an equally celebrated local restaurant.As far as coffee shops in Makati City (a small city in the Philippines within the Metro Manila area) go, they don't come much cooler than Annex House.Located in the stylish Poblacion neighbourhood — described to me by Annex House's Toronto team as the "Queen West of Manila" — the cafe-by-day, bar-by-night concept comes by its name quite literally, located in a former home.Nowadays, rather than housing locals, the two-storey building houses a bar, coffee shop, design studio and a to-die-for alley patio, cementing it as a home for local creatives to work, play and connect.It's the stuff that urban foodie dreams are made of, hindered only by its location halfway across the world. Until this week, that is.As of Thursday, Nov. 13, people in Toronto will be able to experience the magic of An...

Other

3 w. ago Famous Filipino cafe is comes to Toronto for the first time this week

An ultra-popular cafe based in the Philippines is soon setting up shop in Toronto for a limited time with the help of an equally celebrated local restaurant.As far as coffee shops in Makati City (a small city in the Philippines within the Metro Manila area) go, they don't come much cooler than Annex House.Located in the stylish Poblacion neighbourhood — described to me by Annex House's Toronto team as the "Queen West of Manila" — the cafe-by-day, bar-by-night concept comes by its name quite literally, located in a former home.Nowadays, rather than housing locals, the two-storey building houses a bar, coffee shop, design studio and a to-die-for alley patio, cementing it as a home for local creatives to work, play and connect.It's the stuff that urban foodie dreams are made of, hindered only by its location halfway across the world. Until this week, that is.As of Thursday, Nov. 13, people in Toronto will be able to experience the magic of An...

Other

3 w. ago Famous Filipino cafe comes to Toronto for the first time this week

An ultra-popular cafe based in the Philippines is soon setting up shop in Toronto for a limited time with the help of an equally celebrated local restaurant.As far as coffee shops in Makati City (a small city in the Philippines within the Metro Manila area) go, they don't come much cooler than Annex House.Located in the stylish Poblacion neighbourhood — described to me by Annex House's Toronto team as the "Queen West of Manila" — the cafe-by-day, bar-by-night concept comes by its name quite literally, located in a former home.Nowadays, rather than housing locals, the two-storey building houses a bar, coffee shop, design studio and a to-die-for alley patio, cementing it as a home for local creatives to work, play and connect.It's the stuff that urban foodie dreams are made of, hindered only by its location halfway across the world. Until this week, that is.As of Thursday, Nov. 13, people in Toronto will be able to experience the magic of An...

Other

3 w. ago Toronto neighbourhood wants to stop cheap homes so they can keep parking spaces

A Toronto neighbourhood is pushing back against plans to replace a well-used public parking lot in the community with a massive new housing development. Residents of Toronto's Fairbank neighbourhood are rallying to save a public parking lot at 9 Shortt St., which sits adjacent to a church and a Dollarama store near Dufferin Street and Eglinton Avenue West.The City-owned lot, which provides over 100 parking spaces, is set to be transformed into a mixed-income, transit-oriented housing development — a decision, some locals argue, could have a devastating impact on nearby small businesses and community institutions. A petition, which has already garnered over 340 signatures as of Monday afternoon, has been launched to push back against the lot's redevelopment. "Many small businesses would be forced to close or relocate due to the loss of parking for their clients and customers. Street parking in the surrounding neighbourhood is already extrem...

Other

3 w. ago Toronto coffee shop permanently closing after landlord refuses to renew lease

A neighbourhood coffee shop in Toronto is gearing up to close its doors next year after its landlord decided not to renew its lease. Coco's Neighbourhood Coffee Shop, a cozy café in Little Italy known for staples like espresso-based drinks, matcha lattes, and apple cider, plus a variety of baked treats, will serve its last customers in January.In a heartbreaking announcement shared on Instagram, the coffee shop's owner, Nicole, revealed that Coco's landlord declined to renew their lease. Although they were reassured that they were perfect tenants, the landlord has decided to hand over the space to his sister, who will open a homeopathy clinic in place of the cafe. Unfortunately, the news came after the coffee shop had invested heavily in the space, including adding a new patio. While Nicole shared that the business has been trying to find a new location, working under a limited budget and a short timeline meant that Coco's was ultimately un...

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4 w. ago Iconic hair salon closing Toronto location after nearly 30 years

A Toronto hair salon that's been a cornerstone of the neighbourhood for nearly 30 years will be closing its doors for good in early 2026.There are few names in Toronto as ubiquitous with the smell of hairspray, the feeling of freshly-cut strands, and stepping out of the salon feeling brand new as Ray Civello.A master hairstylist and beauty industry magnate, Civello has been making his mark on Toronto (and the heads of its residents) for nearly 40 years with his line of Civello salons, which boast three locations in Toronto, on top of Oakville and Vancouver locations.A far cry from your humdrum "just trim the ends off"-type experience, Civello salons have earned a reputation from North Toronto to Queen West for offering the height of luxury in hair styling and other beauty services. Think aromatherapy head-and-neck massages before the haircut even begins. It's that kind of salon.With its flagship resting in the upper-crust Rosedale neighbourhood,...

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